Steven Universe: Jasper's Year Walk
by JamesFames
Summary: After certain events, Jasper is sent on a walkabout around the world, in search of redemption, and learn about the humans many traditions. Along the way, however, a dark cloud from her past follows close behind, and she must do what she can to redeem herself. Enjoy! And be sure to review!
1. Chapter 1

Steven Universe: Jasper's Year Walk

Prologue: Beginning of the Walk

It was the end of December, as Jasper, donned her black cloak, walked a lonely dirt road, far away from Beach City. Jasper had been walking for quite some time, but very unsure of where she was to go. All she could think about is how angry she was at her situation.

"Unbelievable." Jasper growled to herself, as she walked "From the highest form of respect on Homeworld to a worthless vagabond. How did I let those pathetic rebels talk me into this?"

 _A day ago, several months after the incident…_

Jasper laid on her back, in the burning room, trapped behind a force field, as she could only wait, but heard voices from behind the door.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Diamond?" Pearls voice was heard from behind the door "What if she tries to take revenge?"

"She won't." Diamonds voice was heard "Besides, she's no fool. She knows that she'll fail horribly, if she tries again."

"Yeah right." Jasper growled silently "What are they up to anyway?"

There was a moment of silence, then Pearls voice broke the silence.

"Alright." Pearl sighed "As long as she stays away from our baby."

"Baby?" Jasper raised an eyebrow "What is that useless Pearl talking about?"

"Don't worry, babe." Diamond said "I want let her lay a figure on our kid. Amethyst? Bring her in."

"You got it, Big D." She heard Amethyst say, as the door opened, then Amethyst and Garnet entered, as Garnet turned off the force field.

"Come." Garnet sternly said "Diamond would like to speak with you."

Saying nothing, Jasper got up and followed them to the living room, to see Diamond, sitting on the couch, next to a three month pregnant Pearl, with Steven and Connie upstairs, watching TV, and Jade leaning against the wall.

"We've come to a decision." Diamond announced "Jasper, you've caused us quite a bit of trouble."

"You only just now realized that?" Jasper mocked, smirking, gaining a glare from Pearl.

"Regardless, Steven says that you're redeemable, but even I have my doubts." Diamond admitted "But, I intend to give you the benefit of the doubt. So what I'm gonna do is put you on a Year Walk."

"Year Walk?" Jasper raised an eyebrow.

"It's part of Gem Knight tradition." Jade declared "When a fellow knight has brought shame to the order, they are sent on a walkabout around the world, learning everything about the humans."

"What does a knight's tradition have to do with me?" Jasper smirked "I'm no knight."

"Nor do we intend to make you one." Jade snarled "But Diamond insists that we give you a chance to redeem yourself."

"And why would I accept it?" Jasper growled.

"Because it'd be a waste to kill someone with your strength and experience." Diamond admitted "So, in an attempt to save you, we're giving you a chance to redeem yourself, and hopefully, give you an entirely different perspective in humanity."

At this time, Jasper remained silent. She never cared for humanity nor does she want to. She still holds a deadly grudge against the Crystal Gems, especially Steven, since she seems to think that he's Rose Quartz, one of the most notorious traitors of Homeworld.

"So, what say you?" Diamond asked, his arms crossed "Will you accept?"

Jasper glared at Diamond angrily, angry at her predicament. All she would rather do is beat her captors into a bloody pulp. But she knew full well that she was outnumbered and very outmatched. She looked toward Steven, who had a look that said 'please make the right choice', so all she could do is sigh in defeat.

"Fine." She sighed "I'll do it."

"Excellent choice." Diamond smirked "Glad you can see things our way."

 _Present day…_

No doubt, Jasper was indeed angry, as she walked on, unsure of her destination.

"I don't even know where I'm supposed to go." She mumbled to herself "Where am I supposed to even start this crap walk at?"

"Excuse me, ma'am?"

She turned to see an old man, in his forties, pulled up to the side of the road in a red pick-up truck. The man had hardly any hair on his head, wore a green shirt and black jeans, and despite his age, the man seemed quite muscular.

"You need a ride, ma'am?" The man asked "We might be going the same way."

Jasper remained silent for a moment, before speaking up.

"That depends." She shrugged "Where are you going?"

"Airport." The man declared "I'm headed to Desert City. There are some people asking for help supporting some homeless people and charity work. Figured I'd throw my two cents in the ring."

Jasper thought for a moment, then spoke.

"Sure, why not?" She shrugged "Hopefully, it won't be too much of a waste of my time."

"Cool, hop in." The man gestured "Names Carlos, by the way. Yours?"

"Jasper." Jasper shrugged, getting into the back of the truck.

"Nice to meet you, Jasper." Carlos smiled "Now, off to the airport."

As Carlos drove, Jasper simply laid back, looking up at the sky, lost in her thoughts.

"Desert City, huh?" She thought to herself "Doesn't sound like much, but a good start, I guess. Sooner I start this walk; the sooner I can be done with it."

Unbeknownst to her, however, watched four cloaked figures, watching from the shadows, as the truck drove off into the distance; the cloaked figures were speaking among themselves.

"It seems that our former 'sister' has fallen from such a high place to such low standards." The first one declared, a plume of black smoke emitting from under her robes.

"What has she allowed herself to fall to?" The second one growled, her hand sparking with electricity.

"Perhaps she's being forced against her will?" The third one with a gourd on her back suggested.

"Impossible." The fourth one snarled, embers emitting from her fingertips "Jasper would never allow such a weaker species enslave her!"

"Silence, my sisters!" The first one growled, before saying "Perhaps it would be best if we watch from a distance, see what our former sister is up to."

"Very well." The second one sighed "So long as our old friend doesn't reveal our presence to our enemy."

"Indeed, sister." The first one nodded "We must remain hidden, until the time is nigh."

 **Not bad for the first chapter of Jasper's journey to redemption, right? Anyways, thanks you guys for reading, and be sure to stay tuned for the next chapter. Enjoy! And be sure to review!**


	2. Chapter 2

Steven Universe: Jasper's Year Walk

Chapter One: The New Year

The plane arrived at the airport of Desert City…which can barely be called a city. It looked more like a small village with several small huts. As the plane landed at the airport, the passengers exited from the plane, as Jasper and Carlos exited the plane, stepping onto the hot sand, the scorching hot sun beaming down upon them.

"Why is it so hot here?" Jasper asked, raising her hand over her face to shield her eyes from the sun's rays.

"The sun can be quite brutal in Desert City." Carlos declared, shielding his eyes from the sun "It barely even rains in this part of the world. Desert City is practically one of the poorest cities in the world."

"The sun, huh?" Jasper thought to herself "I want to fight it!"

"Whelp, I guess this is where we part ways." Carlos declared "I'll see you later."

"Yeah, see ya." Jasper shrugged, as Carlos walked off, she just looked around "Okay, now what am I supposed to do?"

"You could try helping people?"

Jasper turned around and, to her surprise, Steven stood there, dressed like a cowboy.

"You!" Jasper snarled, facing him "What're _you_ doing here?!"

"Ah, ya know," Steven shrugged "The Crystal Gems wanted to make sure you weren't getting into trouble."

"So they sent you to spy on me?" Jasper snickered, before sighing "Figures they don't trust me enough to go through this by myself!"

"I trust you!" Steven declared "The Gems just want me to make sure you were proceeding with the walk without any trouble. And they wanted me to introduce you to some friends of theirs! They happen to be right here in the city!"

"Friends, huh?" Jasper mused "Even traitors to Homeworld have to have friends."

"C'mon!" Steven urged, taking Jaspers large hand "I'll show you to them!"

Jasper followed Steven around town, before stopping at a bar, spotting a young man out front, speaking with a young woman. Or rather, flirting with her.

"There's one of them!" Steven declared "Come on!"

The two walked over to them, the girl walking away, the man slightly disappointed. He seemed to be in his mid-thirties, wore a dark blue cloak, had a bow and arrows strapped to his back, had light black hair and tanned skin.

"Hey, Darren!" Steven called, as he and Jasper walked over to him.

"Now, who could that be?" Darren wondered, with an Australian accent, as he turned to face them "Steven! Good to see you, lad!"

As Darren got on one knee, Steven jumped at him with a hug, and as they separated, Darren ruffled Steven's hair.

Jasper watched in confusion, unable to make out what she's seeing, as Darren turned his gaze to her.

"And who's this?" He asked with a smirk "A new friend of yours?"

"Yeah!" Steven declared, standing next to Jasper "This is Jasper. She's on a year walk!"

"Hey." Jasper said, nonchalantly.

"So this is the one we were told to 'escort' around the world, eh?" Darren smirked, before chuckling "She's not quite what I was expecting."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jasper asked, skeptical.

"Me and ser knight were just betting on who the 'walker' would be." Darren shrugged "I was personally hoping you were a golden haired girl with terrible eye sight." He let out a short laugh "I was just joking, sort of."

"Sure you were." Jasper rolled her eyes, not finding his 'joke' funny.

"Hey Darren. Have you seen Tory?" Steven asked.

"Actually, I last saw him at the church." Darren shrugged "Giving out toys to the kids, if I remember correctly. Now, if you'll excuse me, one of my superiors is looking to speak with me. Looking forward to working with you, Jasper."

As Darren walked off, Steven led Jasper onward, as they saw people putting up New Year's decorations.

"What's with all these strange decorations?" Jasper asked.

"It's human tradition." Steven explained "When the New Year comes around; we celebrate with fireworks, banquets and all kinds of activities!"

"So humans spend their time by pigging out?" Jasper snickered "No wonder the human race is so weak!"

"Wow, you have a lot to learn, Jasper." Steven chuckled "Anyways, time to go see Tory!"

The two kept moving, before stopping at the church, seeing a mid-thirty year old man passing out toys to children. Tory was wearing a purple cloak, had a large broadsword strapped to his back and short buzz cut black hair.

"There he is!" Steven declared, pulling Jasper along towards him "Hey, Tory!"

"Hm?" Tory wondered, as he looked, then smiled "Hello, young Steven!"

Steven leapt at him with a hug, as Jasper simply watched, not sure what to make of the scene, as the two parted from the hug.

"It's been a while, since I last saw you, Steven." Tory smiled, standing up "How are you?"

"I'm doing alright." Steven declared, as he turned to Jasper "Jasper, this is Tory. He's one of the Crystal Gems knights."

"The Crystal Gems knights?" Jasper raised an eyebrow "As in a member of their order?"

"Not really." Tory shook his head "The Crystal Gems established another order of warriors, known as the Crystal Gem Wardens."

"Wardens?" Jasper repeated.

"Correct." Tory nodded "But our leader can tell you more, once you've gotten a bit further in your walk."

"Your leader, huh?" Jasper mused "I wonder what he has to say."

"Quite a lot, actually." Tory nodded "He's actually looking to meet you soon." He turned to the apartments, before turning back to Jasper "Well, I'd better return to the others. Once you reach the apartments, speak with Alistair. He's the one leading the walk."

And so Tory walked off, leaving the two.

"Crystal Gem Wardens, huh?" Jasper wondered "Rose Quartz fought alongside humans, during the war. Could they have been 'Wardens' as well?"

"See? Even the Wardens are looking to meet you!" Steven declared "Come on! They're waiting to meet you!"

Steven led Jasper further, before arriving at the apartments, which seemed a bit in shambles, yet there are people living there.

"Humans choose to live in such pathetic shacks?" Jasper gaped, rather disgusted at the state of the apartment building "How pathetic, even by human standards."

"Desert City IS one of the poorest cities in the world." Steven shrugged "Anyways, Alistair should be inside. I'll be right back!"

As Steven darted inside, Jasper stood there, crossing her arms. A couple of minutes passed, as Jasper stood there, impatiently waiting for Steven to return.

"Unbelievable." Jasper silently growled "What is taking that halfling so long?!"

As she stood there, she paid no attention to a cloaked character approaching from behind, close enough to whisper into her ear, in a low monotone voice.

"Don't you know how to greet a new pal?"

Jasper froze in place, her face twisted with fear, as she can somewhat recognize the strangers voice.

"Turn around," The stranger said, backing up just a bit, before sticking out his right arm "And shake my hand."

At this point, Jasper wasn't sure how to respond. That voice sounded like something she had never heard in a long time. Taking in a deep breath, she slowly turned to face the stranger, and extended her right arm and grabbed the strangers hand…

…only to hear a long, awkward fart sound emit from the hand.

"What the-?!" Jasper gasped, quickly jerking her hand away, glaring at the stranger, who only laughed.

"The old whoopee cushion in the hand trick!" The stranger declared in an Italian-American accent, removing his glove, revealing a whoopee cushion tapped around his hand "It's ALWAYS funny!"

Only an awkward silence ensued, as the stranger looked at Jasper, who only glared angrily at him.

"That's, uh, your cue to laugh." The stranger cocked his head slightly to the right "Or, uh, emote at all?"

Jasper only glared at him, not saying a word.

"Well, whatever," The stranger shrugged, grinning "Everyone has their own sense of humor."

"Who do you think you are?" Jasper growled, clenching her fists "Talking to me like that?!"

And with that, she threw a punch, only for the stranger to disappear in a puff of smoke, much to her surprise.

"What the-" She gasped, shocked at what she just saw.

"You know," She quickly turned around to see the stranger reappear, his eyes closed, and smiling "I really kinda like this city." And suddenly, much to Jaspers dismay, the strangers eyes opened, completely pitch black "It'd be a shame if someone were to ruin that."

Jasper only stared back with fear, unsure of how to react. Suddenly, the strangers returned to normal, back to being dark blue.

"Relax, will ya?" The stranger chuckled "I'm not gonna bite."

"Who or what are you?" Jasper demanded, raising an eyebrow.

"Someone who's been watching with great interest." The stranger declared, removing his cloak, revealing him to be wearing what looked like a mafia suit and a fedora hat, has black hair that reached own his back "And someone you should be very familiar with."

Jasper took a good look at him, before realizing who he really was.

"Jack?" She gasped, before taking a moment to chuckle darkly "So, it's really you. Jack the Ripper himself."

"Nobody calls me that anymore." Jack frowned, before smiling "So, how have you been? Been a while since we last met."

"You can say that." Jasper shrugged, turning her head to the apartment complex "Since I can't get back to Homeworld, those Crystal Gem rebels have stuck me on this damn walk around the Earth."

"Sounds like they've been keeping you busy." Jack chuckled "Especially after the stunt you pulled at Beach City."

"You heard about that?" Jasper raised an eyebrow.

"I have contacts in many major and minor cities." Jack declared "I always have eyes and ears where I can't be bothered to be."

"So you heard about what I did in that 'city'." Jasper smirked "How I almost destroyed your son."

"Almost." Jack repeated "I'm just glad you didn't succeed."

"Of course you are." Jasper snarled "You betrayed Homeworld and joined with the rebels!"

"I wasn't talking about the Crystal Gems." Jack frowned "I was referring to my son."

"You're son?" Jasper repeated, before smirking "So you weren't worried about the rebels at all?"

"Rose trained her people well, but I was never worried about them." Jack declared "But the only thing I care about is the well-being of my son."

"You're son, eh?" Jasper frowned "For a man who was never there for his own child, you seem to care a lot about that boy."

"I'm his father, so yeah, of course I care." Jack frowned "Sure, I might not have been there for him, at his baseball games, when he was sick, but that doesn't mean I don't care about him!"

Jasper didn't seem convinced, however. Ever since Echo's birth, she knew that Jack wanted to give Echo a different life than what Yellow Diamond had planned for him, but he was never there when Echo was in danger, when the Crystal Gems captured him, when Echo fought Yellow Diamond and ended up getting his arm cut off, when he fought Yellow Diamond for a second time, resulting in her supposed defeat, and he certainly wasn't there for him when Echo was fighting Jasper.

Jasper only wondered: Why does Jack show so much concern, and yet never intervened when his son needed him the most?

"Alistair will be showing up in a few minutes," Jack suddenly grinned, turning away "Take good care of him, alright? I'm certain you'll like him."

And with that, he vanished in a puff of smoke, leaving Jasper to ponder her thoughts.

After a bit, Steven, along with three other characters exited the building, one of them a human and the other two gems. The two gems stood on either side of the human, the two gems were tall with long braided hair to opposite side of their heads. Their armor was the same, light plate only differentiating in color, the red gem held a sword, while the blue gem held a spear. The human wore a pair of black jeans, black military type boots, a white T-shirt, black fingerless gloves, a brown cloak with a hood, a sniper rifle strapped to his back, light skin, short black hair that reached his shoulders, light pink eyes and appeared to be in his mid-thirties.

Jasper didn't seem to show much care for the Gems, but she felt her heart skip a beat when she laid eyes upon the human. She never cared much for humans, but this one gave her a sense of familiarity from someplace.

"So, you're our walker, eh?" The human declared "Huh. I wasn't expecting someone so…large."

"And you are?" Jasper asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Apologies, where are my manners." The human chuckled "Name's Alistair, one of the captains of the Crystal Gem Wardens, and the one leading the walk. Basically, I'm here to make sure you stay out of trouble." He then gestured to the Gems beside him "And these are Red Tourmaline and Blue Tourmaline, my personal guard."

"I've been hearing that word often, this 'Crystal Gem Wardens'." Jasper admitted "Are they some sort of human group?"

"An order of warriors, basically." Alistair nodded "Ever since the first war thousands of years ago, through many generations, the Wardens were established to monitor any gem activity on Earth."

"So they were founded AFTER the war?" Jasper asked.

"From what I'm told, yes." Alistair shrugged "And from what I heard, you are one of Homeworld's biggest loyalists."

"Used to be." Jasper corrected "Because of what happened, the Diamonds would have me shattered on the spot."

"Is that so?" Alistair raised an eyebrow "I also heard that you're not very fond of the Diamonds. Any reason why?"

"That's none of your business, human." Jasper huffed.

"Whatever you say." The Red Tourmaline said "As long as you stay out of trouble."

"Indeed." The Blue Tourmaline nodded "Or you will face dire consequences."

"Right." Alistair said awkwardly "Anyways, we just need to take care of a few things here and we'll move on to the next country." He turned to Steven "Steven, would you mind showing her?"

"No prob, Bob!" Steven declared, picking up a box of toys and turning to Jasper "Follow me, Jasper!"

She did so, before turning to look at Alistair one last time, before turning back to follow Steven. She felt…drawn to him somehow. She felt as though she should know him from someplace, but can't quite put her finger on it.

"How long have you and that Alistair character known each other?" Jasper asked, her curiosity getting the better of her.

"Quite a while, actually." Steven shrugged "He claims he knew my mom, a long time ago."

"What's a 'mom'?" Jasper asked.

"Well," Steven said, trying to think up an answer "It's someone that is…well…someone sees that person as a mother, some who nurtures a small child from birth."

"Did this 'Alistair' not have a 'mom' of his own?" Jasper asked.

"He said he never knew his mom." Steven shrugged "Which I can relate, in a way. He said that, in his own words, just woke up one day and found his way to mine, long before I was thought up."

"Does he know about the war?" Jasper asked "About Rose's deeds in the past? About her shattering Pink Diamond?"

"Maybe, but I never pressed the matter." Steven shrugged "He seemed pretty sensitive about it, but despite all that, my mom was the only person he ever looked up to as a mother figure. Maybe you can ask him, if he's in the mood."

"Perhaps." Jasper sighed "Anyways, where are we going, Quartz-Child?"

"We're headed to the church." Steven declared "There are some orphans who can't really celebrate the New Year, so the Wardens, and Crystal Gems, are here to help them out!" He looked at the church, seeing Tory and Darren out front "Come on!"

As they approached the church, Tory and Darren, both carrying boxes of toys, waved them over towards the door.

"Alright, fellas." Tory smiled "Remember, when we go in, we have to be as positive as we can."

"Why?" Jasper frowned "I'm not."

"Then just fake it." Darren shrugged "Look at me, I could be angry as hell at the fact that I almost got thrown into prison multiple times, almost got myself killed thieving, and now pulled into a war between humans and extraterrestrial beings, with weapons powerful enough to blow up worlds." He then smirked "But I'm bigger than that."

"Fine," Jasper sighed "What do you want me to do?"

"Try smiling!" Steven declared.

She did, giving a creepy, toothy grin.

"Oh my God, that's terrifying." Darren cringed.

"We're here to see the kids," Tory said "Not kill Batman."

"There's a difference?" Jasper asked, frowning.

"Try less… teeth…" Darren said.

She tried again, but her smile was still creepy, even if not showing teeth.

"Um, close enough." Tory sighed, moving towards the door "Come on."

Opening the doors, they entered the church, seeing rows of benches, many homeless and orphaned children in the seats, while a priest stood at the alter at the far end of the interior.

"Hello, everyone!" Tory called out, getting the attention of everyone in the church "Hope you're happy to see us!"

"It's the Wardens!" One of the children declared happily.

"Yay! Crystal Wardens!" Another one cried out.

"Hey, kids." Darren smiled, as one of the kids ran up to him, Darren ruffling the kid's hair "The Crystal Gem Wardens are here!"

"And we've brought toys for you guys, to start off the New Year's Resolution!" Steven declared, before looking at Jasper "Right, Jasper?"

Jasper didn't say anything, except giving that creepy grin.

"Wow, she's large!" One of the kids grinned, gaping at Jasper in awe "Is she a Crystal Gem as well?"

"Me?" Jasper did a double take at what the kid said "I…"

"I knew it!" The kid cheered "You can always rely on the Crystal Gems! They and the Wardens are truly the salvation of humanity… no, the salvation of every species in the galaxy!"

"Uh, sure, okay." Jasper sighed, playing along.

"Alright, everyone!" Steven called, setting the box of toys on a nearby bench "Line up and we'll start passing out toys!"

After several hours of passing out toys to the kids, the group said their goodbyes to the kids, before leaving the church and making their way back to the apartment complex, meeting Alistair and the twin Tourmalines at the front of the building.

"Hey, fellas!" Alistair waved "How'd things go?"

"Pretty good!" Steven declared "A lot of kids were pretty happy!"

He turned to Jasper.

"Right, Jasper?" He asked.

"Sure, whatever." She grunted, walking away.

"Is she going to be a problem?" Blue Tourmaline asked.

"Yes, we already have enough problems." Red Tourmaline nodded.

"No, of course not!" Steven said, nervously "She just needs some time alone."

"As if we have time to wait around." Alistair sighed "I'll go talk to her. You lot wait here." He turned to the twins "You two wait here as well."

"Please be careful." Steven frowned.

Alistair walked over to where Jasper was, which was sitting on a far bench, just close to the corner of the apartment complex.

"You alright?" He asked.

Jasper only looked up at him, a frown on her face.

"You should've heard what those organic younglings said." She spoke "I'm no Crystal Gem. I don't deserve their praise."

"Is that so?" Alistair mused, before smiling "It seems that their praise went to the right place, given your current situation."

"Maybe…" Jasper sighed, not so sure herself.

"Is something the matter?" Alistair asked.

"I don't feel like talking about it." Jasper huffed "Besides, you wouldn't care."

"Try me." Alistair gave a friendly smile "You'd be surprised."

Jasper considered this for a moment, before sighing.

"I was only thinking about what the Crystal Gems and their Wardens are doing." She declared, gazing at the church "Helping those younglings who have no homes, no families… It's a noble cause, I suppose."

"You must've had a bad experience with them in the past, eh?" Alistair suggested.

"You can say that." Jasper nodded "For as long as I could care to remember, I've always hated them for what they've done. To my planet, my colony…" She placed her hand over the diamond symbol over the chest part of her outfit "To my Diamond."

"You mean Yellow Diamond?" Alistair asked.

"No, I mean my true Diamond." Jasper shook her head "My… Pink Diamond."

"You don't say." Alistair mused "What was she like?"

"She… was the best thing to ever happen for Homeworld in a long time." Jasper declared "When I first emerged from the Beta Kindergarten, and I first met her, she was the most kind, caring and understanding, unlike the other Diamonds, who are cold and heartless."

"If they have hearts." Alistair added jokingly.

"As I was saying," Jasper continued, ignoring the joke "Pink Diamond saw her subjects as equals, not servants. I felt comfortable around her. I felt happy."

"What changed?" Alistair asked.

"It happened when the rebellion started." Jasper said "I was on guard duty, protecting Pink Diamond, as one of her human friends were visiting. Then, out of nowhere, I was attacked by Rose Quartz and her rebel cohorts and I was knocked unconscious. When I came to, they were gone. I looked into the throne room; all I saw was the human, crying over some shattered gem shards. Upon closer inspection, I saw they were Diamond shards…Pink Diamond shards."

"So Rose shattered Pink Diamond?" Alistair raised an eyebrow "Why?"

"I honestly don't know." Jasper sighed "All I know is that it caused a massive war and it drove Homeworld from Earth." She looked at him "If you would've met Pink Diamond, you would've loved her." She clenched her fists "But ever since that terrible day, I've always hated Rose. She took my Diamond from me, our beacon of hope."

"I see." Alistair nodded, somewhat understanding.

"Now, you can see why I hate the rebels." Jasper said "They took everything away from me. And I didn't see their Wardens any different either. I only saw them as Rose's attack dogs, killing for food and money."

"I understand where you're coming from." Alistair nodded "Not everyone was a fan of the Crystal Gems or the Wardens."

"But the worst part came for me after the war." Jasper told him "Every Gem was reassigned to another Diamond. Those who didn't automatically accumulate were put through 'reeducation' programs."

"How bad was it?" Alistair asked.

"Very bad." Jasper gritted her teeth "We were beaten, electrocuted, and those who failed were shattered. We were put through Hell."

Alistair sat next to her, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"I understand." Alistair said "But understand that not all of the Crystal Gems and Wardens are heartless jerks. Some of us actually give a damn and we try our best to help." He pointed a thumb at himself "Like me, for example. Same goes for Steven as well."

Jasper didn't seem convinced. Alistair noticed this, then stood up.

"How about this?" He smiled "Stay with us for the duration of the walk. After you see what we're fighting for, maybe your opinion of us might change."

"Maybe…" Jasper said.

"I assure you, not all of us are the same." Alistair assured "Trust me. Not all of it is as black and white as you might think."

Jasper thought for a moment, before giving a small smile.

"Alright, human." Jasper nodded "I'll see it all for myself."

"I'm glad to hear it." Alistair grinned "You know, you're actually quite cute, when your smile's not that of a madman."

"Whatever floats your boat, as your kind says." Jasper joked "Now, we'd better get moving."

They returned to the group, and then they proceeded through town together, making their way to the airport.

As the plane took off, the four cloaked figures watched from afar.

"How interesting." The first figure mused "It seems Jasper is being escorted by a group of humans."

"One of them being the offspring of Rose Quartz herself, no doubt." The second one snarled "We should've attacked sooner."

"Patience, Biotite." The first one tutted "We must only observe, for now."

"You're awfully patient, Serpentine." The third one remarked "Are you perhaps getting soft?"

"Of course not, Heliodor." The first one, called Serpentine, scowled "Mother demands that we stay in the shadows."

"That's true." The fourth one agreed "Mother would be very displeased if we were to reveal ourselves early."

"Perhaps." The third one, called Heliodor, sighed "But you must admit, Alabaster, if Mother does not get the results she desires, she will not be happy."

"You rush things too much, sister." The fourth one, called Alabaster, tutted "You must learn to be patient."

"We will talk about such minimal matters later." Serpentine declared "For now, we must continue to observe."

 **And here's the newest chapter! First off, sorry for the chapter being so long, but, like I said, I wanted to take my time with these stories, as to not rush them. Anyways, thanks for being so patient, and hope you guys are still enjoying the story! And be sure to review!**


	3. Chapter 3

Steven Universe: Jasper's Year Walk

Chapter Two: The Month of Love

The thirty day flight from Desert City was a long flight. For Jasper, it felt like forever, flying over the clouds, with the occasional pit stop and the cramped space inside the private jet was almost maddening. And the extra company wasn't really much help. Tory sat to the side of the door that led to the plane's cockpit, Steven sat next to the window, looking outside, Darren sat at the back of the plane with the Tourmaline twins, flirting with them, as the two just ignored him, and Alistair sat next to Jasper.

She couldn't care less for the others, but she felt safe when she's close to Alistair somehow. Their talk back in Desert City gave her a slight confidence boost, but she still had her doubts.

"So, Jasper." Alistair spoke up. "Tell me a bit about yourself that I don't already know about."

"Why don't you start first?" Jasper retorted. "Where did you start from?"

"Same as everyone else." Alistair shrugged. "Popped out one day, raised by Rose Quartz, and grew up to be a Warden for the Crystal Gems."

"I'm serious." Jasper said, trying to get back on topic.

"Alright. Let's see," Alistair said, digging around in his thoughts. "As you can tell, I'm a Geminite, like most of those that make up the Wardens. But before that, I was raised in a Native Tribe in Salmon Bay, Washington."

"You don't seem like the native type." Jasper pointed out.

"You're telling me. I was sent to the kitchens to scour the pots more times than I can count." Alistair joked. "And that's a lot; I can count pretty high."

"And at what point were you recruited into the Wardens?" Jasper asked.

"The Warden-Commander recruited me when I turned twenty." Alistair declared. "The tribes' chief didn't want to let me go, so the Commander was forced to conscript me and boy was she furious. I was afraid she was going to have us both arrested. I was lucky."

"Well, that sounds odd." Jasper said. "Why didn't this 'chief' want to give you up?"

"I wonder that myself." Alistair shrugged. "It's not like she valued me highly. Maybe she just didn't want to give anything to the Crystal Wardens." He then smiled. "Still, the tribe didn't lose much. And I think I can do more good, fighting Homeworld Gems, rather than sitting in a longhouse somewhere." He then looked out the window. "I'll always be thankful to the Commander for taking me in. If not for him, I would've been very unhappy my entire life."

"Sounds like this 'Commander' of yours must've been a pretty big father figure for you." Jasper grinned.

"He sure was." Alistair nodded. "It was he who taught me how to fight, how to defend myself and how to control my powers."

Suddenly, they felt the plane descending.

"Looks like we've arrived." Alistair declared.

The plane landed, and the group stepped off the plane, as Jasper took her time taking in the beautiful environment of the city.

"Welcome to France!" Darren exclaimed, giving a big grin. "The city of love and beauty!"

"You sound like you just got home." Jasper pointed out.

"But of course!" Darren declared proudly, with a grin. "I was born here, after all!"

"He sure was!" Steven declared, now dressed like a Frenchman, with a black and white striped shirt, a pair black pants and a red beanie hat.

"How many of those ridiculous outfits do you have, boy?" Jasper asked.

"More than enough, it seems." Alistair chuckled. "But yes, Darren born here, which explains his flirtatious behavior towards every woman he meets."

"True," Darren laughed out loud, before composing himself. "But only part French. I'm also part Aussie, which explains my accent."

"No kidding." Jasper rolled her eyes.

"While I was born in France, to a French father and an Australian mother," Darren explained. "I was raised in the poor district of the city. Little blot you wouldn't even find on a city map. Haven't been back there in years. I struck out for America, once I was old enough to outrun my pa."

"Just in time, eh?" Alistair joked.

"Before the French elections went to Hell, yeah." Darren shrugged. "I was hoping things would change, but it's the same thing, same problems, just different leaders."

"How long has it been since you've been back?" Jasper asked.

"More than I can remember." Darren shrugged. "I've been in America for, what…ten years now? Pretty much made a livin' in California. Didn't like it much, but there's more full pockets there than anywhere else."

"'Full pockets'?" Jasper repeated, frowning. "You sound like a petty thief."

"And a pickpocket _and_ a lock pick, thank you very much." Darren smirked. "Or was, anyhow. Who'd ever guess I'd end up a Crystal Gem Warden?"

"Not Pearl, that's for sure." Alistair chuckled.

"So, how _did_ the Wardens find you?" Jasper asked, curious.

"Actually, _I_ found _them_." Darren explained. "It was a long time ago, when the Crystal Gems visited California, and I saw them, standing in a crowd. I didn't recognize Pearl, Garnet, Amethyst or Rose, but I definitely recognized Greg. So, I snuck in and picked his wallet from his pocket. Rose grabbed my wrist, but I squirmed free and bolted. She can run, for an old bugger, but the cops caught me first."

"Cops?" Jasper repeated.

"Another word for 'Police'." Alistair said. "They pretty much enforce the law in states."

"I'm a wanted man in California." Darren explained. "So those cops were gonna string me up right there."

"String you up?" Jasper repeated once again.

"He means they were gonna hang him." Alistair said. "Hang him on a rope by the neck until dead."

"Alistair, careful with your words!" Tory chastised, covering Stevens ears. "We have a child here!"

"So, what happened next?" Jasper asked.

"Rose stopped them, invoked the Right of Conscription." Darren smirked. "I gave those cops the finger as we walked away."

"Right of Conscription?" Jasper repeated once more.

"It's an authority that dates back to the end of the war for the Earth, after the Wardens were founded by Rose herself," Alistair explained. "Or so I've been told. This allows us to recruit anyone we need, be it the president or a lowly criminal. As long we don't overdo it, there won't be any problems."

"To be honest, I don't know why Rose would want someone like me." Darren admitted. "But she says that finesse is important, and that I'm quick with a bow." He chuckled slightly. "You bet your boots I am. Besides, it beats gettin' strung up."

"So, she went so low as to welcome organics into her rebellion?" Jasper frowned. "Especially one as small as you?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Darren frowned.

"I've seen many warriors that Rose lead into battle." Jasper declared with a smirk. "Many of them were Quartzes, but some of them were Pearls and Agates as well. To think that she would accept some small human like you is embarrassing."

"In your opinion, maybe." Darren shrugged. "Besides, Rose doesn't care that I was some thief or a human. She cared about me for who I am."

"Then she must've had low standards," Jasper sneered. "For stooping so low as to accept organics as small and weak as you."

Darren glared at her, before pulling out his bow and arrow, then turned around with speed, aimed, then fired, the arrow flying off the string, striking a falling apple from a far off tree and sticking it to the wall.

Jasper was kind of impressed, though she wasn't showing it, but she was indeed impressed with his reflexes and accuracy.

"I might not be as big and buff as you," Darren declared with a proud smirk, putting away his bow. "But like I said, I'm quick with a bow. And I'm one hell of a shot."

And with that, he walked off, no doubt heading for some brothel in the city.

"Anyways," Tory spoke up. "Steven and I are gonna head down to the city center. Meet you at the hotel later?"

"Sure, Tory." Alistair nodded. "We'll try not to be long."

Tory nodded, then he and Steven walked down the street, leaving Jasper and Alistair to themselves.

"Tourmaline twins?" Alistair called. "Why don't you two go explore at your own leisure? Take a break and leave us in private?"

The twins looked at one another, before glaring at Jasper.

"Don't worry." He assured. "I can handle myself."

The twins were unmoving for a moment, before bowing and taking their leave.

"Those two sure are loyal." Jasper pointed out. "Where'd you find them?"

"Rose gave them to the Commander a few years ago." Alistair declared. "They were rogue Gems back then, from Blue Diamonds court. They did pretty well, but they caused quite the mess for a lot of people."

"What did they do?" Jasper asked.

"They attacked major cities." Alistair explained. "Hurt a lot of people. They even killed Diamonds best friend, many years back."

"Diamonds friend?" Jasper repeated.

"One of us, actually." Alistair revealed. "Before he was a Warden, Johnny grew up on the streets, resorting to petty thievery. Rose found him, trying to steal from Greg at one point, but she caught him, and after a few months, she set him on the right path, even helped him master his Geminite Gene. The power to manipulate the earth around him, in fact. He even became best pals with Diamond."

"What happened to him?" Jasper asked.

"During their training with the wardens, the twins had attacked Boston." Alistair explained. "Diamond and Johnny went to stop them, but the twins were way too powerful. Diamond got poofed and Johnny lost an arm."

"By the Diamonds." Jasper gasped. "Those two were that powerful?"

"And this was before Diamond was inducted into the Gem Knights." Alistair continued. "The two managed to recover, but Johnny was never the same, since he lost his arm. Suddenly, the Tourmaline twins attacked Empire City. Johnny, stubborn as he was, tried to fight them alone, but it….didn't end well."

"And Diamond?" Jasper asked.

"Johnny knocked him out." Alistair shook his head. "Like I said, Johnny was hardheaded, and would never allow his best friend to put himself in danger. Diamond woke up and found Johnny. Or rather…what was left of him."

"Sounds bad." Jasper nodded, sort of understanding, as Diamond was her friend at one point. "Diamond must've taken it pretty hard."

"He did." Alistair sighed. "Losing a childhood friend can do that to someone."

"So what happened next?" She asked.

"He got stronger." Alistair declared. "Using his anger and rage to fuel the fire of his training."

"And he challenged them again?" Jasper added.

"He did." Alistair nodded. "And this time, he defeated them, poofing them. He wanted them shattered, for all the suffering they caused. But Rose found a different solution."

"Such as?" Jasper asked.

"She set them on a new path." Alistair declared. "After they reformed, they had forgotten who they were in the past. So Rose took this opportunity to give them a new path and a new purpose of protecting the Earth instead of destroying it."

"How did Diamond respond to that?" Jasper asked.

"He wasn't happy about it, but he knew when to back down." Alistair said. "He made the Commander swear to keep them out of his sight, otherwise, he might snap."

"And now he's okay with them being around?" Jasper asked.

"Sort of." Alistair shrugged. "He never spoke to them and always kept his distance."

"I don't blame him." Jasper sympathized, being a former friend of Diamond herself. "If I lost a close friend to someone like that, I don't think I could ever simply forgive them and move on."

"True, I guess." Alistair sighed. "I was in that situation as a kid."

"What do you mean by that?" Jasper asked.

"A story for another time." Alistair declared. "In the meantime, let me show you around Paris!"

They then walked around the city, gazing at the lovely sights, as Alistair was telling her about France's history, its culture and its people. Jasper listened to most of it, as the two walked the streets of Paris, but she couldn't help but notice some of the people were giving her strange looks.

"Those humans are giving me odd looks." She pointed out.

"It's the orange skin… and the gem that's smack dab on your face." Alistair shrugged. "They'll get over it."

The two continued walking, making their way through the streets, before arriving at a church, where a priest stood outside a church.

"Good evening, Father Marty." Alistair greeted.

The priest turned and smiled at the sight of Alistair.

"Hello, Alistair!" He smiled, hugging Alistair. "It's so good to see you again!" He turned to Jasper, a look of confusion. "And…who is your friend?"

"This is Jasper." Alistair introduced, patting Jasper's shoulder. "I'm taking her on a world tour."

"Oh, how lovely." Father Marty smiled. "Though I've never seen her before."

"She's new here." Alistair shrugged, before turning to Jasper. "This is Father Marty. For most of my childhood, he was always a friend to Jack."

"He knew Jack?" Jasper raised an eyebrow.

"Oh yes." Marty nodded. "When I first met Jack, he was distraught with emotion. Sadness, anger, rage. I did everything I could to remind him of the light, but all he saw was darkness."

"He's doing better now though." Alistair said. "He's helping people around the world."

"I only ask that you look after him, my dear boy." Marty requested. "I fear that he may be going down a dark path."

And with that, Alistair and Jasper went on their way, then the two reached to hotel.

"This'll take a moment." Alistair assured, walking up to the door. "Wait right here."

After Alistair went inside, Jasper waited near a fountain, her arms crossed.

"This is the second time I was asked to wait outside." She mumbled to herself. "Is this a running joke for this human?"

"That's Alistair for ya."

She jumped a bit, quickly turning around to see Jack once again, dressed in his usual suit.

"Jack." She sneered. "You seem to have a bad habit of sneaking up on others."

"So it seems." Jack chuckled. "I get that a lot."

"What do you want now?" Jasper growled.

"Simply checking on your progress." Jack shrugged. "I noticed that you seem to be getting along well with Alistair."

"Yeah, so?" Jasper gave him a quizzical look.

"Just wanted to let you know how lucky you both are." Jack declared. "You both look like you could use a good friend. Or something more."

"Wha-what's that supposed to mean?!" Jasper stuttered. "I just tolerate him more than other humans!"

"You two just seem okay for each other." Jack smiled warmly. "Maybe you should ask him out."

"Don't be ridiculous!" Jasper growled, before frowning. "Alistair wouldn't want anything to do with me. Not this soon."

"You'd be surprised." Jack chuckled. "Alistair already seems to like you."

"Impossible!" Jasper shouted.

"Ask him and see." Jack suggesting, turning away. "And you never know. There may be some things about him that may surprise you."

And with that, he vanished in a puff of smoke.

Jasper just stood there, unsure how to react, when Alistair exited the building.

"Hey, I'm back!" He called, approaching Jasper. "I just spoke with the others, they-"

He noticed the look on Jaspers face.

"You okay?"

"Y-yeah, I'm fine." Jasper hesitated. "Just…thinking, that's all."

"About what?" Alistair asked.

"About…" She struggled with her words, Jacks words echoing in her head. "I was…hoping we could spend more time here."

"Of course!" Alistair smiled. "We have plenty of time before we head out!"

"I…I'd like that." Jasper grinned a bit. "What's there to do in France?"

"I'll show you." Alistair smirked, taking Jaspers hand and leading her about.

The two stopped by a restaurant, Alistair ordering the food; two plates of peppery, spicy chicken stews.

"What is this?" Jasper asked, staring at her plate.

"Chicken Basquaise." Alistair answered, taking a bite of his food. "A French cuisine. Try it."

Looking at her plate, Jasper reluctantly took a bite of the chicken, taking her time chewing the meat.

"Well, what do you think?" Alistair asked.

"It…has a certain flavor to it." Jasper remarked, taking another bite. "It's spicy, but it's tender too."

She took another bite, then another, and another, until she began wolfing down her food, much to Alistair's amusement, as she finished.

"That was amazing!" Jasper grinned a toothy grin. "Can I have more?!"

"Sure, but don't go overboard." Alistair chuckled.

After a few more rounds of French cuisine, the two moved on to the park.

"It's a beautiful day, isn't it?" Alistair remarked.

"I'll admit, it has its charm." Jasper admitted.

As the two walked, suddenly, the park sprinklers came on, inadvertently soaking the two in water.

"What the-?!" Jasper gasped, as Alistair pulled off his jacket and covered her.

"Don't worry, it's just the sprinklers." Alistair laughed a bit.

The two noticed how close they were to each other's faces, just inches apart, feeling each other's breath. They inched a bit closer, their lips mere inches apart, until…

"HEY, YOU GUYS!"

The two quickly separated, their faces crimson (Jasper a deep shade of orange), as Steven showed up at the park entryway, waving to them.

"Hey, you guys!" He called loudly. "We have to get back to the hotel!"

"R-right!" Alistair called back, slightly embarrassed, before turning to Jasper. "Terribly sorry."

Sadly, the two went to the hotel, both avoided telling Steven about their day.

Night had fallen upon the city, as the team made ready to go to bed, while the Tourmaline twins stood guard of their room, Darren, Tory and Steven slept in one room, while Alistair and Jasper stayed in the other.

"Well, asides from the untimely intervention," Alistair spoke up, rubbing the back of his head. "I had a good time."

"Yes, so did I." Jasper nodded. "I honestly had some fun."

"Well, tomorrow will be a different day." Alistair smiled. "Oh, and before I forget…"

Alistair walked up to Jasper and, to her surprise, he kissed her on the cheek.

"Well, I'd best wash up and go to bed." Alistair laughed, heading the bathroom. "Goodnight!"

After Alistair entered the bathroom, Jasper brought a hand up to her cheek, stroking it, then smiled blissfully.

"In the bathroom, Alistair was checking his hair, as some black substance began to drip from his head.

"Damn sprinklers…" He cursed silently.

He began rummaging in his bag, before pulling out a small jar. Washing off his hair a bit, it turns out not all of his hair was black, but some of it was a bright pink.

After applying the hair dye, he felt his left hand begin to ache, as he rubbed it under his glove. Sighing, he removed the glove, revealing a diamond shaped symbol on his palm.

"Mom…"

 **And there's the newest chapter! Don't worry, guys, I'm still working on my Steven Universe stories, I've just been busy with my other stories. I've also been working on a Harry Potter story, so look forward to that. Anyways, what do you think of the relationship blooming between Alistair and Jasper? Hope you guys are still looking forward to more! Don't forget to review!**


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